Nail feeding mechanism



1932- w. c. DICKSON NAIL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 4, 1929 3Sheets-Sheet ITLXQZTLETT Wmmm C id/6.50m

LL41 up! :55 orig Feb. 16, 1932. w. c. DICZKSON NAIL FEEDING MECHANISMFiled Feb. 4, 1929 3 SheetsrSheet 2 5116M lZLUiam QQtck-som g cm Feb.16, 1932. w. c. DICKSON NAIL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 4, 1929 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 16, 1932 WILLIAM C. DIGKSON, OF EVANSTON,ILLINOIS NAIL FEEDING MECHANISM Application filed February 4, 1929.Serial No. 337,293.

This invention relates to improvements in nail feeding mechanisms and itconsists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended 6 claims.

In certain ll'ltLClllllOS, such as for instance machines which compressa softer metal about the head of a nail to form a weatherproof capthereon, the nails must be fed ufrom a nail hopper to the desiredmechanism of the machine, one at a time at desired intervals and inproper position for operation thereupon by such mechanism.

The hopper which is of the rocking type,

If has longitudinally extending slots therein into which the nailsenter, point down and are guided in this manner to enter aligned slotsin an inclined, stationary nail holding plate, down which the nails movein a pondg... ent position, with the nail heads on the top side of theplate. Vhile supported in rows upon said plate, an excess of nails isbuilt up therein so that a continuous supply is assured.

The nails are discharged one at a time, from the bottom or lower end ofsaid nail holding plate, into a conduit which directs the nails to thedesired mechanism of the machine and my invention particularly re latesto the means which permit the discharge of but one nail at a time fromeach slot in the nail holding plate.

The primary object of the invention is to provide improved meansassociated with the ."a bottom end of the nail supporting plate, for

discharging but a single nail at a time from each slot in said plate andto so dispose the various elements of said means as to first isolate thenail to be discharged from the others before it is discharged, so thatno on tanglement can talte place and the dis charged nail drops pointdown into the conduit directing it to the mechanism operating thereupon.

Another object of the invention is to provide such means which includesa plurality of lingers so acting upon the nail to be discharged, as tofirst separate or release said nail from the others in the row andpermit a said nail to move to a position spaced therefrom and then topermit said released nail to be discharged therefrom after which thenext nail is acted upon in the same manner.

These objects of the invention as well as others, together with the manyadvantages thereof, will more fully appear as I proceed with myspecification.

In the drawings I Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved nail feedingmechanism as it appears when used in connection with a nail head cappingmachine for delivering nails thereto.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through my improvednail feeding mechanism, as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the same as takenon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in plan elevation on an enlarged scale of thenail separating and releasing fingers in that position after havingreleased and discharged a nail.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the parts in a changed relationas will later appear.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the accompanying drawings andespecially to Fig. 1 thereof, 1indicates as a whole a machine for applying caps to the nails 2 bycompressing a. small pellet like mass of softer metal about the head 3of each nail. As said machine forms no particular part of the presentinvention, its structure will only be described generally.

Said machine includes a punch press like frame 4 having a bed plate 5upon which is mounted a step by step rotative die carrying plate 6. Inthe periphery of said plate is formed a plurality of arcuately spacednotches 7-7 and within said periphery is provided a plurality ofarcuately spaced die blocks 8, there being a pair of die blocks for eachnotch. At the top of the frame t is 9 journalled a horizontallydisposed, laterally extending crank shaft 9. To the middle crank likeportion of said shaft is operatively connected a verticallyreciprocating cross head 10 carrying punches (not shown) 100 adapted tocoact with the die blocks 8 therebeneath, to compress the masses ofsofter metal upon the nail heads 3 to form the caps thereon. At the lefthand side of the frame is means indicated as a whole as at 11 toreciprocate a forwardly and rearwardly extending bar 12 sliding in asuitable guide groove in the left hand side of the bed 5. On said bar ispivoted a spring pressedpawl 13 which in the reciprocation of the bar12,

engages in one of the notches 7'in the die carrying plate 6 so as toimpart step by step,

rotative movement to said plate.

On the right hand side of the crank shaft 9 is a belt driven pulley 14adapted to be connected to and disconnected from the crank shaft byasuitableclutch 15. On that extremity of the crank shaft, beyond thepulley 14 is fixed an eccentric 16. At the right hand side of the bedplate and overhanging a portion of the die carrying plate 6 is a nailguiding and inserting means 17 by which nails 2 fed thereto as willlater appear are delivered into the dies one at a time.

At the front of the bed plate is a hopper 18 to hold'the pellets 18 ofsofter metal, which are delivered by mechanism 19, one at atime intoeach die upon the head of the nail therein. After the dies are thusloaded they move step by. step until they register with the punches(before mentioned) on the cross head which compress the pellet thereonto form the cap upon the nail head after which the capped nail isdischarged from the machine and thcempty diesTonce-morc pass beneath thenail guiding and inserting means 17to receive the nails as beforedescribed.

To the right hand side of the machine thus generally described, islocated a structural frame work indicated in Fig. 1 as at 20 as a whole.Said frame work includes frontand rear pairs of upright legs 21 and 22respectively, the legs of each pair. being connected together at the topby angle bars 2323 respectively. The inner end 23 of each angle bar 23extends beyond the associated leg 21, 21. toward the machine 1' and eachof said ends has secured thereto. an upright bracket 24. Reciprocatingin said brackets is a horizontally disposed bar 25, rectangular in crosssection. Secured to said bar is an upright plate 26 having a verticallyelongated opening 27 of a width to receive the eccentric 16 beforementioned. It is apparent that for each rotation of the crank shaft 9,which is the equivalent of one cycle of operation of the nail cappingmachine, the bar receives one complete reciprocation.

The angle bars 2323 are connected together above the legs 2121 by across plate 28'which includes upright ears 2929 respectively spacedinwardly fromfthe angle bars 2323. An open framelike casting30 havinglaterally spaced arms 31-31 at its lower or bottom end is pivotallyconnected by means of said arms to upright brackets 32 rising from theangle bar ends 23 23 said pivotal connection being disposed inapproximately the horizontal plane of the re-- ciprocating bar 25. Saidframe 30 is inclined upwardly from said pivotal connection toward theplane of the legs 21 and is supported in said inclined position by meansof links 33 each pivotally connected to an ear 29. The top end of saidlink has a pin and slot connection 34 with the open framelike casting30, so that the angle of inclination of said casting may be readilyadjusted.

Secured to the bottom of said frame, is a plurality of pairsof plates35-35, with the plates of each pair spaced apart to provide therebetweena slot-36 of a width sufiicient to receive the shanks of the nails-2whereby they hang point down and with the heads of the nails engagingthe top sides of both plates of each pair as best shown in Fig. 2. Tothe top end of the open framelike casting 30, there is pivoted as at 37one end of a rocking nail hopper 38. Said hopper is in the form of anopen top box into which the nails are dumped promiscuously. In thebottom wall 39 of said hopper slots 4040 are provided which line up withthe slots 3636 defined by the plates 35435. .At the inner or 5 pivotedend of the hopper is a wall 41 which. terminates a short distance abovethe bottom 39. The outer or free end of said hopper carries a bracket 42which is connected by a link 43 to the top end of a vertically disposedrod reciprocated in any suitable manner.

With a supply of'nails in the hopper 38 and with the rod 44 inreciprocation, it is apparent that a rocking movement is imparted to thehopper about the pivotal connection as an axis. In this rocking movementof the hopper the pointed end of the shanks of some of thenails arecertain to enter the slots 40 in the bottom wall thereof. As the hopperswings upwardly, the nails in said slots will slide down the bottom wallthereof toward the pivoted end of the hopper. With the slots 40registering or lining up with the from the cross plate 28 by means of abracket 46. -To the bottom end of each funnel is connected the top endof a tube or conduit 47,

the bottom end of which is connected to an associated means 17 whichguides and inserts the nail passing down said conduit into the properdie member 8.

\Vhen row of nails is in each slot 36, it is apparent that without somemeans associated with the bottom end thereof, all the nails in each rowwould simply move downwardly under gravity toward the bottom of the slotand would discharge themselves therefrom. To discharge but thebottommost nail in each slot therefrom, in timed relation with respectto the operation of the nail capping machine, I provide the followingmechanism.

On the top surface of the reciprocating bar 25 there is provided a pairof blocks 48, which are spaced apart, a distance equal to the spacingbetween the slots EKG-36. Each block carries a. iilurality or group offingers 49-50 and 51 respectively which for convenience I have termed aseparating, a releasing and a discharging linger respectively. Theseparating linger and the releasing finger are both disposed inapproximately the same horizontal plane, and both are adapted tooverhang the bottom ends of the associated plates defining the slots 36while the discharge finger is disposed in the plane of the endextremities of said plates. One end of all of said lingers extendsthrough suitable openings in the associated block l8 and are secured inplace therein by clamping screws By loosening said screws the lingersmay be adjusted to the proper position in said blocks and are theresecured in said position by tightening up said screws.

The separating finger 49 is longer than the releasing linger 50 which inturn is longer than the discharging finger 51. The separatin g andreleasing finger each has an oppositely inturned end part 49 and 50respectively, the extremities of which are pointed, while thedischarging finger has a shorter inturned end part 51 which extends orpoints in the same direction as the end part 49* of the finger -il9.

\Vith the parts in the position they occupy as best shown in Fig. i andwherein the bar 95 has just moved to the left to discharge a nail fromeach slot 36, it is apparent that the releasing finger extends acrossits associated slot to prevent any movement of what is now thehottommost nail in said slot. It is also apparent that the separatinglinger of each group free of and to the left of said nails inv theassociated row of nails. As the bar 25 moves toward the right, thefinger part 50 moves away from the associated slot and the fingerportions 49 and 51" move toward and across said slot. In this movementthe linger part i9 moves behind the bottommost nail in its associatedrow and separates that one from the row, in the meantime holding backthe others in said row against movement. As the finger portion 50 movesaway from said slot, it releases the bottommost nail which is free tomove by gravity toward the extreme bottom end of the slot which is nowclosed off by the finger part 51. This separates and isolates thebottommost nail in each row from its companions so that when the bar 25moves toward the left again, the finger part 51' will uncover the bottomend of the slot from which the bottommost nail drops by gravity into thefunnel member 45 and down the tube 47 to the means 17 for guiding andinserting the nail into the proper die 8.

I have found by actual operation that by the mechanism described theseparation of the bottommost nail from the others in the row, preventsany entanglement or interference with said bottommost nail so that itdrops true in the funnel member and does not spin or whirl so the nailpasses quickly down the tube which is always clear. By thus dischargingthe nails into the associated funnel member, there is no possibility ofone nail catching the other in the tube or conduit when the machineoperates at high speed so that the nails are accurately and positivelyfed and amming of the nails is avoided.

By so placing the fingers 49 and 50 above the plates 35-35, the parts49* and 50 of said fingers operate upon the nails just below the headsthereof so that they do not act to swing the nails out of theperpendicular plane, when they engage the nails for the purposedescribed.

The mechanism though simple, is extremely positive and efficient for itsintended purpose so that the nail head capping machine may be operatedat a greater speed without jamming due to faulty feeding of the nails.

While in describing my invention I have referred inv detail to the form,arrangen'ient and construction of the various parts thereof, I do notwish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention 1. A nail feeding mechanism embodying therein,means inclined to the horizontal and providing an open ended slotadapted to receive a plurality of nails hanging pendently therein bytheir heads, a movable member adapted when in one position to be engagedby the bottommost nail for holding said plurality of nails in said slotand adapted when in another position to release said bottommost nail, asecond member movable with the first member and imn'iovable relativethereto for separating the hottommost nail from said plin'ality whenreleased by said first member a third member for opening and closing theopen bottom end of said slot movable with the first two members butimmovable relative thereto and acting in one limit of its movement topermit the discharge of the bottom- .most nail from said slot and actingin the other limit of its movement to hold said last mentioned nail inthe bottom end of said slot and a shiftable element ri idly connected toextending in the direction of the end of the the movable members foroperating said movable members.

2. A nail feeding mechanism embodying therein, means inclined to thehorizontal and providing an open ended slot adapted to receive aplurality of nails hanging pendently therein by their heads, a" movablemember adapted when in oneposition to be engaged by the bottommost nailfor holding said plurality of nails in said slot and adapted when inanother position to release said bottomm-ost nail, a second membermovable with the first member and immovable relative thereto forseparating the bottommost nail from said plurality when released'by saidfirst member, a third member for opening and closing the open bottom endof said slot movable With the first two members but immovable relativethereto and acting in one limit of its movement to permit the dischargeof the bottommost nail from said slot and acting in the other limit ofits movement to hold said last mentioned nail in the bottom end of saidslot and an actuator element rigidly connected to all of said members.

3. A nail feeding mechanism embodying therein means inclined to thehorizontal and providing an open ended slot adapted to receiveaplurality of nails hanging pendently therein by their heads, a barreciprocable in a plane at a right angle to said slot and a plurality offingers connected to and movable with said bar, two of said fingershaving parts overhanging said means and adapted to traverse said slot inthe movement of said bar, theother finger movable with the other twofingers but immovable thereto and hav ing a part disposed in the planeof the end of said means and adapted to open and close the end of theslot therein.

4. In a nail feeding mechanism, a reciprocable bar, a plurality offingers extending laterally from the bar and all being of differentlengths, the two longer fingers having ends disposed inwardly towardeach other, the third and shortest finger having an end extending in thedirection of the end of the longest finger. v

5. In a nail feeding mechanism, a reciprocable bar, a plurality offingers extending laterally from the bar and all being of-differentlengths, the two longer fingers being' disposed in substantially thesame horizontal plane and having ends bent to extend toward each other,the third and shortest finger being disposed in a plane below that ofthe others and having an end extending in the direction of the'end ofthe longest finger.

6. In nail feeding mechanism, a recipro cable bar, a plurality offingers extending laterally from the bar and all being of differentlengths, the two longer fingers having ends disposed inwardly towardeach other. the third and shortest finger having an end longest finger,all of said fingers being adjustably secured with respect to said bar.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 31st day ofJanuary, 1929.

WILLIAM C. DIOKSON.

